Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed the Taoiseach did not answer the questions I asked, one of which was whether the Minister would meet with the organisations that represent residents across the region. To have 12,000 people objecting is a serious matter. We live in a democracy and the very least the Minister could do is to meet them, particularly given that, as the Taoiseach said, the Minister is providing the huge capital moneys that will be necessary for this plant.

Deputies across the divide in this House have questioned the wisdom of the plant. In the Seanad, Senator Darragh O'Brien questioned the nature and viability of the project. He asked the Minister, Deputy Howlin, to re-evaluate the project because, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, he has oversight of all major capital works. There is no point in the Taoiseach's saying the Government is not really involved in this or saying "All we are doing is allocating €500 million, and that is all we have to do with it." It is a very serious capital allocation for a plant that is a secondary treatment plant only and will not provide tertiary treatment, which I consider incredible in this day and age in view of the need to treat effluent going into our harbours and bays.

First, I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the Minister, Deputy Hogan, will meet with the residents concerned. Second, I ask that the Taoiseach follow through on what the Minister, Deputy Howlin, said, namely:

I was previously Minister in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. There is a propensity for engineers to have big schemes. They much prefer to build reservoirs than fix leaks. There is nothing sexy about fixing a hole but construction of a multi-million euro dam and piping water for miles is a big event. I prefer to fix the leaks. I have given the Senator an undertaking that I will have the matter investigated.

The matter has not been investigated by anyone in government. Will the Taoiseach give an undertaking to ensure that the promise and commitment made by the Minister to Senator Darragh O'Brien - and, by extension, to the people of the Fingal area - will be followed through on, and that he will have the entire wisdom of this project re-evaluated and investigated? The Minister said it twice to Senator O'Brien in his reply on that occasion.

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